Are These $350 Bose Headphones Worth It?

I'm a seasoned traveler but could never get myself to commit to buying a high-end pair of noise-canceling headphones. I finally gave in and purchased a pair of Bose headphones. I chose the Bose QuietComfort 35 II which aren't cheap at $350. But are they worth it?

I purchased my new headphones last week and was able to use them last weekend since I bought them through Amazon Prime. As I was walking through the airport with my Bose wireless headphones, I was impressed with their comfort and noise cancelling technology. While I did feel a tad bit goofy with over ear headphones on out in public, they blocked out the noise extremely well and made talking on the phone so much easier. I wasn't expecting to enjoy using them for phone calls as much as I do. In fact, I'm even using them for Skype conference calls on a daily basis.

After doing a bit of research and reading reviews on Amazon, I bought my pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 II because:

I'm a lifelong fan of Bose and know the good quality of their products and customer service

I found many reviewers praising the comfortability of these specific headphones

I like the design and silver look

Quality noise cancelling feature which is great for airports, airplanes, walking around the city

Bluetooth & wireless connection

Here are a few more in-depth reasons for why I purchased my Boise noise-canceling headphones:

Great Noise-Cancelling Quality for the Price

You can buy noise cancelling headphones for less than $50 but I'm sure you're well-versed with the adage, "You get what you pay for."

Cheaper noise-cancelling headphones don't do as good of a job with active and passive noise canceling technology. Yes, the technology would have been cutting edge a decade ago, but Bose continues to invest in product development and the QuietComfort 35 Series II (Bose QC35) is the latest and greatest.

If you're serious about the best noise cancelling headphone technology, you need to invest in a pair of headphones in the mid-$300 range to get superior technology made with quality materials that make the headphones durable and comfortable to wear for several hours at a time.

The Bose QuietComfort 35 doesn't cancel out every exterior sound but you'll be able to work distraction-free. At the same time, you'll be able to hear when somebody is trying to get your attention without having to take extreme measures because you can't hear anything other than what you're listening to.

Silver Bose wireless headphonesBose

Competitive Pricing

Some people think that Bose charges a premium price because it's a household name, like buying the name brand Fruity Pebbles at the grocery store instead of the private label alternative with an identical taste and appearance for half the price.

The Bose QuietComfort 35 cost right at $350 and are actually $10-20 cheaper than some of the other brands with similar features.

Some of the other leading brands in this same price range including Sony and Sennheiser. Both of these brands are good options too and you can't go wrong with them. Some reviewers even say they offer better sound for you audiophiles and more features on their apps. For me, I went with the brand I know, comfort, and noise cancelling features.

Clear, Crisp Audio Quality

Overall, the Bose QuietComfort Series II audio quality is crisp and clear. Other brands might produce deeper bass tones and higher trebles. Based on what type of music or movie you're listening too, Bose headphones automatically optimizes the sound to make the audio quality fit the genre. You can also download the app to optimize your audio experience too.

If you prefer a deep bass sound, the Sony WH1000XM2 can be a better option than the QuietComfort 35.

Besides audio playback, most noise canceling headphones in the QuietComfort 35 category also have a built-in microphone that lets you answer phone calls too. User reviews from the non-Bose headphones state the other headphones are more likely to include background noise that the person you're talking too can hear. While the Bose QuietComfort 35 won't block out all the background noise, they block more noise than most other brands so it's just likely you're talking on a landline in terms of audio quality.

Incredible Comfort

One of the biggest differences between cheap headphones and good headphones is the comfort level. If you're only going to be wearing them for 15 minutes at a time, it might not matter so much. But if you plan on wearing them for at least an hour two in the airport terminal or on the plane to work or relax, the last thing you want is a sore ear.

Bose makes the QuietComfort 35 headphones with glass-filled nylon and stainless steel to make these headphones lighter than the competition. Just like you try to find thelightest travel duffel bagto fly with, why would you wear wireless headphones that weigh as much as a boat anchor?

Besides the lightweight construction, Bose covers each QuietComfort 35 with Alacantra fabric,the same material used in yachts and high-end automobiles.

Hands-Free Operation

To me, durability and comfort are the two most important requirements I look for in noise canceling headphones. After that, I look at how easy they are to use.

Headphones have come a long way and you don't just plug them into the headphone jack, although the QuietComfort 35 comes with a detachable cable in between battery charges. This comes in handy if you want to use your Bose wireless headphones with an airlines entertainment system. I just did this with my Bose headphones on a flight from DFW to LAX.

The Bose headphones come built-in with Google Assistant technology that syncs with your Google account to do more than just play music and answer phone calls. For example, you can ask Google Assistant to read your text messages, check the weather, schedule reminders, and translate basic phrases.

Even if you don't have a Google Assistant account, you can still use voice commands to curate your audio content and field phone calls with you default digital assistant like Siri if you're an iPhone user. I haven't played around with this feature yet, but it seems cool.

There are also some buttons on each ear cusp that activate the digital assistant and manual playback controls when you'retrying to remain silent and respectful of your neighbors or seatmate.

20 Hour Battery Life and Quick Charging

With the flip of a switch, you can turn the Bose noise cancelling technology on or off. With the noise cancelling on, you can get up to 20 hours of battery life in wireless mode and 40 hours when wired.

These Bose Bluetooth headphones also have quick charging technology and you can get an additional 2.5 hours of battery life for every 15 minutes of charge. If you have a few extra minutes between flights, a quick 15-minute charge can give you enough juice to keep rockin' during the next flight.

With 20 hours of battery life, you should have plenty of battery life to last in between charges. Other brands have a longer battery life, but this could probably be because their noise-canceling technology quality simply isn't as good, you sacrifice premium audio quality for a longer battery life you don't necessarily need.

Am I Glad I Paid $350 for These Bose Headphones?

Bose was a pioneer in the noise-canceling headphone movement and they continue to be a favorite brand for travelers because of their superb playback quality and comfort. Investing in the Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones is a decision I wish I would have done it sooner.

Geoff Whitmore is a value maximizer always on the hunt for the next great deal. He has created multiple consumer guides about rewards redemption, travel hacking, and consumer value opportunities.

I'm a value maximizer always on the hunt for the next great deal. I specialize in rewards travel and travel products. I've earned and redeemed millions of rewards points over the last few years. I've created multiple consumer guides that inform readers about rewards redempti...